Glossary → Audio fundamentals
Audio fundamentals

Frequency

Frequency is how many times per second a sound wave cycles, measured in hertz (Hz) — perceived as pitch, with human hearing spanning roughly 20 Hz to 20 kHz.

Speech intelligibility concentrates between about 300 Hz and 3.4 kHz (the classic telephone band); consonant detail that separates 'f' from 's' lives higher. This distribution is why noise in the speech band damages transcription accuracy far more than low rumble.

Related terms

Sample rateSample rate is how many times per second an audio signal is measured when converting sound to digital data, in… Equalization (EQ)Equalization adjusts the balance of frequencies in audio — cutting rumble, taming harshness, adding clarity — … Fundamental frequency (F0)Fundamental frequency (F0) is the rate of vocal-fold vibration — perceived as the pitch of a voice, typically …

Frequently asked

What is Frequency?

Frequency is how many times per second a sound wave cycles, measured in hertz (Hz) — perceived as pitch, with human hearing spanning roughly 20 Hz to 20 kHz.

Why does Frequency matter?

Speech intelligibility concentrates between about 300 Hz and 3.4 kHz (the classic telephone band); consonant detail that separates 'f' from 's' lives higher. This distribution is why noise in the speech band damages transcription accuracy far more than low rumble.

What terms are related to Frequency?

Closely related concepts: Sample rate, Equalization (EQ), Fundamental frequency (F0) — each has its own entry in this glossary.